What are the penalties for fatigue driving of trucks?
2 Answers
Truck fatigue driving generally results in a deduction of six or twelve points. Relevant details are as follows: 1. Regulatory Basis: According to Article 1, Item 10 of the "Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations," driving a medium-sized or above passenger vehicle or a hazardous materials transport vehicle continuously for more than 4 hours without stopping to rest or resting for less than 20 minutes will result in a 12-point deduction. 2. Other Basis: Article 2, Item 13 stipulates that driving any other motor vehicle (excluding medium-sized or above passenger vehicles and hazardous materials transport vehicles) continuously for more than 4 hours without stopping to rest or resting for less than 20 minutes will result in a 6-point deduction.
The penalties for fatigued driving of trucks are quite severe, especially if caught on highways. Fines typically range from 200 to 2,000 RMB, depending on the severity, and 3 to 6 points will be deducted from the driver's license. I've been stopped at checkpoints a few times while driving, where traffic police directly pulled me over to rest, saying that driving continuously for over 4 hours is considered a violation. Besides the fine, you also have to write a guarantee letter. If fatigue leads to an accident, it's even more troublesome—you could lose your license or even face criminal charges. So, I usually set an alarm to take a break every two hours, drink some water, etc. The company also requires GPS monitoring; if you drive too tired, the system automatically alerts. Avoiding fines isn't the main point; the key is not to endanger yourself and others. Get enough sleep before long trips, and if you don't feel alert, don't force yourself to drive.
